See Wonders of the Modern World!

Imagine what it must have felt like to have seen an electric light bulb for the first time.  Or, experience the thrill of a new attraction called Ferris' Wheel. 

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27 million people, a third of the US population at the time, visited the 6-month fair in Chicago from May-October 1893.

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• There were 690 acres of exhibits, gardens, waterways, and attractions.

• On a grand scale, electricity and the light bulb demonstrated their usefulness for the first time.

• States and 46 countries from around the world created exhibits to showcase their homeland to visitors.

• Foods and brands we still recognize today made their first appearances including the first brownie, Juicy Fruit gum, and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.

• Inventions showcased included the first automatic dishwasher, the first moving sidewalk, machinery, and the first clothing zipper.

• For theme park fans, the fair's Midway inspired amusement park developers in years to come.

Also during this time, a wanted man constructed a building 3 miles west of the fair...on 63rd and Wallace...dubbed the Worlds Fair Hotel...